LineageOS Intros Features To Better Support A/B Handsets

The latest changelog of LineageOS details new changes made to the Android-based OS that allow the software to better support devices with an A/B partition structure. Among those is the modified Updater app, which allows the OS to support addon.d-v2 compliant mods. The modified Updater app makes it easier for users to update their devices without the need to reinstall supported mods like MindTheGApps. Meanwhile, Lineage Recovery, a new custom recovery that better supports A/B partition devices, has also been introduced. The recovery is based on the AOSP recovery and has been modified for improved security and more streamlined use. Lineage Recovery will be installed by default on devices with an A/B partition structure, while the LineageOS developers plan to release the custom recovery for other devices in the near future.

The latest changelog also tackles a number of new features incorporated into the LineageOS. Among the new functionalities is the Trust interface, which brings all of the operating system's core security features under one user interface. The Trust interface aims to explain the function of each security status and alert users of insecure settings. The interface also includes additional granular controls and an SMS limit warning feature which prompts users to manually confirm text messages once it detects that their device is sending more SMS messages than usual. The latest version of LineageOS also includes an option to make the user interface completely black and also allows users to force legacy apps to take up the entire screen in devices with 18:9 displays. However, the LineageOS team is quick to warn people that poorly written applications may crash when forced to fill up the entire screen.

The LineageOS Project also announced that developer "cwrl" has decided to step away from the project after working on the OS and its predecessor CyanogenMod over the last nine years, and "haggertk" will take his place as the ninth director of the LineageOS Project. The initiative recently expanded the support of the LineageOS version 15.1 to more devices, including Android smartphones from Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Sony.

Mark Real has written for Androidheadlines since 2017 and is a Staff Writer for the site. Mark has a background in sciences and education. He is passionate about advancements on hardware and software technologies and its impact on people’s lives. Contact him at [email protected]